AS Ramadan-ul-Mubarak is around the corner – a time when certain elements in our country resort to undue profiteering, Prime Minister Imran Khan, whilst chairing a meeting of spokespersons on Monday, vowed to take indiscriminate action against the people involved in artificially hiking the prices.
He directed the government officials to provide relief to the people during the holy month.
Indeed those robbing the pockets of the poor consumers deserve no mercy whatsoever. Such elements should not only be sent behind the bars but heavy fines should also be imposed on them.
This will have a deterrent effect. Apart from ensuring sufficient supplies of commodities in the markets, it is important that the district administrations are fully empowered to take action against hoarders and profiteers.
Whilst the government has fixed the price of sugar, the people now will see as to how the decision is implemented. Failure will only further dent the popularity of the ruling party.
Apart from bringing down the prices of essential items including that of sugar, flour, pulses etc at the Utility Stores Corporation (USC), a strict price control mechanism should also be evolved for the open market.
The price hike has already broken the back of, especially the fixed income groups and mere lip service will not bring any improvement in the situation.
It is time to take decisive actions to provide genuine relief to the people whilst doing away the practice of criticizing the previous governments for all the wrong doings.
The Prime Minister’s remarks that he is ready to shake hands with the Opposition indeed are encouraging.
Nobody is asking the Premier to compromise on its principled stance against corruption as it is the mother of all evils.
However, holding the corrupt elements accountable is the job of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the courts which should be allowed to do their work independently.
The focus of the government should be improving the governance and implementing its election manifesto.
For this, the government will have to engage with the opposition parties in order to bring down the political temperature.
Political certainty and stability is a prerequisite to take the economy on a positive trajectory.
